After completing his studies at the Harvard Business School, he attempted to gain entry to an acting school, but unfortunately, he failed the entrance exam. Undeterred, he soon found himself accepted into "het Nederlandsch toneel" and made his debut in Waremar.
During this time, he took on a few side jobs to supplement his income, as acting alone was not sufficient to support himself.
As World War II broke out, he refused to register with the German Kultuurkamer, a mandatory organization for people in the cultural and artistic professions. Instead, he went into hiding, which halted his acting career for the duration of the occupation.
After the war, he returned to the stage, focusing on comedy theater and participating in various radio programs. In 1953, he joined the cabaret group of Wim Sonneveld, earning him national recognition for the first time.
In 1955, he landed the leading role in the TV series "Swiebertje," which became a legendary and iconic show, earning him the nickname "Swiebertje" that would stay with him until his death.
The show's success led to his departure from the Netherlands in 1975, where he pursued more serious acting opportunities in England. After five years, he returned to the Netherlands, only to return to comedy theater and films.
Despite health issues, including heart surgery, he continued to act, even taking on a new career path when he worked on a series of serious plays directed by Ivo ten Hove.
He enjoyed this new direction so much that he never returned to comedy theater again.
In 2001, he celebrated his 80th birthday and 60th anniversary in the theater with a production called "Blijvend Applaus."
Sadly, he passed away in September 2005 in a nursing home.
Throughout his life, he was married three times. His first marriage to Conny Stuart was short-lived, lasting only a few years. His second marriage lasted about ten years and produced a daughter. At 52, he married Esther, who was 21 at the time, and despite their significant age difference, the marriage lasted, and they had two children together, a son, and a daughter.
